Praise as NPA goes after Gupta family

The DA on Monday welcomed the decision by the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) to go after the controversial Gupta family by serving a summons to preserve their assets worth billions.

Ajay Gupta (left) and Atul Gupta. (Picture by Martin Rhodes, Gallo)

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was on Monday granted an order to freeze assets worth R1.6 billion belonging to Gupta-linked companies McKinsey and Trillian.

NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku confirmed that the preservative orders freezing the companies’ assets was obtained by the AFU in December.

It is understood that the preservation order was brought by the unit on the basis that the assets were the proceeds of crime.

In these types of applications, the preserved assets are placed under the control of a curator and cannot be disposed of pending the final determination from the court on whether it they should confiscated.

The DA in a statement welcomed the move, adding that it was “not as not as a result of Shaun Abrahams, who tried to stall, but as a result of pressure and hard work of the AFU team under Advocate Knox Molelle”.

“The DA has doggedly pursued those suspected of being involved in the project of State Capture with a number of us laying criminal charges against key individuals, which we trust assisted the Hawks and now the NPA in their investigations and decision to pursue the Guptas albeit rather delayed.

The party added that the preservation order was only the first step in holding those responsible for looting the people’s money and we expect to see other such action against the President’s son, Duduzane Zuma, and the President himself so that they can be held accountable for their role in State Capture. IOL